10 Tips for the Common Hangover

Hangovers have long been the price of a night of overindulgence — and come January 1, you may be feeling the effects of one yourself. So how can you make it a little less painful?

Take a Blowfish. The Alka-Seltzer-like fizzing tablets are the only hangover remedy approved by the FDA.

Drink lots of water before you go to bed and when you get up. Alcohol dehydrates the body, which is one cause of the splitting headaches associated with hangovers.

Chug a sports drink. When your body is breaking down alcohol, it pumps out lactic acid and other byproducts that slow down the production of sugar and electrolytes. Gatorade and other sports drinks replenish those reserves.

Go easy on your morning coffee. Caffeine narrows blood vessels and boosts blood pressure, which could make you feel worse.

Exercise. It may be the last thing you want to do, but vigorous exercise makes blood circulate three times faster than when you’re resting — and the faster blood circulates through your liver and kidneys, the faster you’ll purge the previous night’s toxins.

Drink a banana and honey milkshake. Bananas calm the stomach, honey rebuilds depleted blood sugar levels, and milk soothes and rehydrates. Bananas are also rich in electrolytes, magnesium and potassium, all of which can be severely depleted while drinking.

Take vitamin B. A high-potency B-complex supplement will aid the alcohol metabolizing process, dilate blood vessels, and restore your energy levels. If you remember, take one before you go to bed — if not, pop one as soon as you wake up.

Order a bitters and seltzer. A longtime favorite of bar and restaurant staffers, there isn’t really an exact recipe for this one — but if you’re at a New Year’s Day brunch, any decent bartender will know exactly how to whip up the perfect concoction.

Eat eggs. While there aren’t any studies to support it, some believe the cysteine in eggs could help the liver break down the toxin acetaldehyde, a byproduct of alcohol overconsumption.

Avoid “the hair of the dog that bit you.” Drinking more alcohol may make you feel better in the short term, but you’re just prolonging the inevitable.